Learn these quick and easy-to-follow tips on the best places to keep your beauty products to make them last longer.
Store Everything Away from Direct Sunlight
That’s right, no skin care product or cosmetic item should be stored in the sun—even if it’s just light coming through the window. This direct exposure causes a fluctuation in temperature, thereby reducing the product’s potency and shelf life. Note that this is especially true of items containing ingredients that are sensitive and prone to destabilization, such as vitamin C, retinol, and benzoyl peroxide.
To further keep your skin care products and cosmetics away from the light, keep them in a cabinet, drawer, or lidded box. If you want to carry the items in your purse, we recommend first placing them in a drawstring or zipper bag to further protect them from the light and elements, and to also help you remain organized.
Store Items Outside of the Bathroom
If we were to ask you to name the room in your home that experiences the greatest fluctuation in heat and humidity, what would you say? That’s right, it’s your bathroom! Every time you shower, the space steams up, which shortens the life of your skin care products, cosmetics, and even perfumes.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to remove these items from your bathroom, it’s one of the most beneficial things you can do for them. I recommend placing a storage cabinet just outside of the bathroom, that way it’s easy to access, but still out of the steam chamber!
P.S. Obviously, shampoos, conditioning treatments, shower gels and body scrubs can stay in the bath tub.
Items to Store in the Fridge
DIY skin care, 100% organic skin care, and any product with food or organic matter as a primary ingredient should be stored in the fridge. This prevents mold from growing and makes for a longer shelf life.
When in doubt, a good rule of thumb is that anything without a preservative should be kept in the fridge. Not only will the refrigerator help regulate temperature, it’ll also reduce exposure to light.
You can also leave your face mist, soothing sheet masks, and your toner in the fridge, too. If you’re fighting large pores or blemishes, for example, this may be a good idea, since when cooled, these formulas also constrict blood vessels to further diminish redness and inflammation.
Refrigerating your vitamin C and other skin care products that contain this ingredient is also a good idea. The cooler temperature will keep the vitamins from breaking down or oxygenizing which would potentially change the formula.
Re-Pot, if Desired
Let’s get even more specific about where to store your skin care goods by discussing the containers in which they’re housed.
The ideal packaging eliminates the product’s exposure to light, water, air/oxidization, and fingers (a harboring ground for bacteria). Products that come in tubs or jars expose the contents to all the above. For that reason, some prefer to re-pot into a pump container, and we highly recommend doing the same. When you do this, use tinted glass containers, which are available at craft stores and Amazon.
If you have oils or serums that came in a clear jar, or without a dropper tool/spray/pump, we also recommend de-potting them into a new, tinted glass jar. Again, these are available in bulk at many craft stores and Amazon. The tinted glass will further protect the oils—which are sensitive to light exposure as is—and keep them fresher for longer. The pump (or spray nozzle, dropper tool) will also keep bacteria out of the product.
Note that many products that come in tubs or jars do come with scooping tools so that you don’t have to use your fingers. You can buy your own spoon, as well. However, these spoons should be sanitized before every use, otherwise it defeats the purpose.